A cobpobation oi



S.H.HOBSON v July 19-32. WATER SYSTEM PUMP UNIT 18543" Original Fil ed Dec. 24, 1928 z m amg Reissued July 26, 1%32 UNITED STATES PATENT STANLEY H. HUDSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ROYER. (JGEPQIBJL- TION, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, A 'GOIBJE'OB.A'II0I I OI? TLLINOIS WATER SYSTEM PUMP UNIT Original 1W0. 1,764,807, dated June 17, 1930, Serial 110. 328,262, filed December 24, 1928. Application 101' reissue filed March 28, 1932. Serial No. 601,662.

- correspondingly different spaced relationships of said elements, and it was accordingextremely diflicult,-'if not impossible, for

tlie manufacturers engineering department or dealer to diagnose and remedy troubles arising in service; every installation had its own peculiarities. Furthermore, certain arrangements gave rise to complaints from the customer on account of the excessive water hammer action for which thepump or other accessories could not be held responsible, not

to mention such other difficulties as air trapping or the failure ofthe pump to keep primed, all of which meant a great deal of vexation and expense to the/manufacturer or dealer. It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide a self-contained pump unit comprising the following parts, assembled together in a predetermine desired relationship: a pump, an electric motor for driving the same, a storage tank, an automatic pressure regulator, and such other accessories as a safety relief valve, pressure gauge, and combination a. strainer and check valve. Thus, when the unit arrives on the job all that is necessary for the installation thereof is to connect the supply and service pipes therewith. This standardizes water systems and eliminates all of the otherwise mysterious service troubles and enables the manufacturer or dealer to give intelligent advice to remedy any trouble that might arise without being put to a needless andendless amount of trouble and expense.

According to my invention the storage tank is disposed vertically and directly above the pump and has a union connecting the bottom thereof with the top of the pump so that the tank is not only in close coupled relation with the. pump for compactness of the unit but is thereby also supported on the pump, no other means of support being found to be necessary. In order, however, to provide better support for the tank, I have provided a sheet metal jacket fitting about the lower end of the tank reaching from the tank down to the base and having an annular bead thereon arranged toengage beneath the tank that when the jacket is fastened in place, as by means of bolts clamping the free ends thereof together, the jacket serves as a support for the tank and holds it'absolutely rigid with the base. The space-inside the jacket alongside the pump provides a handy place for the automatic pressure regulator suspended from the bottom of the tank in open communication therewith so as to control the operation of the pump according to the pressure in the tank, there being electrical connection between the regulator and the motor for that purpose. The motor is suitably mounted on the same base with the pump outside the 'alcket. l

T e invention is illustrated in the accoinpanying drawing, whereina 'T Figure 1 1s a side view or a pump unit made inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lower part of the unit taken on the line 2+2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the' arrows, and

Fig. 3 isa horizontal section-taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

The same reference numerals are applied to coresponding parts throughoutthe views. The present apparatus, as may be gathered from the foregolng, is complete in itself, be-

ing arranged to be electrically driven and automatically controlled, and arranged to start and stop of itself. It is primarily'designed and intended for domestic use to furnish water under pressure to all faucets to correspond to cit water service, running water being supp 'ed to the kitchen sink, bathroom, and laundry, as well as to places outside the house as, for example, stock tanks, etc., in farm installations. The particular, pump utilized in this apparatus adapts the same to use for shallow driven well installations where the depth does not exceed say, twenty feet, or dug wells, cisterns,

etc. The apparatus, briefly stated, com prises a pump 5, electric motor 6 for driving the same, and an automatic pressure regulator 7, all mounted on a base 8 togetherwith a storage tank 9. Water from the well or cistern is drawn by the pump through a supply pipe 10. and combination strainer and check val e 11 and stored in the tank 9 under a pressure of from, say, twenty pounds to thirt -five pounds per square inch, the pressure eing indicated by a gauge 12 mounted preferably directly on a safety relief valve 13. The pressure regulator 7 is of a standard well known type having a diaphragm in the casin circuit for the motor 6 when the pressure in the tank, by reason of water having been drawn therefrom, has dropped to, say twenty pounds per square inch, and also arranged to break the circuit when, by reason of operation of the pump and replacement of the water supply in the storage tank, the pressure therein has been raised to, say, thirtyfive pounds per square inch, it being understood that a head space for trapped air is left in the tank to permit pressure to be built up thereinin the manner described. The relief valve 13 has a waste pipe 15 leading to any suitable waste receptacle to allow water to be exhausted from the tank if, for any reason, the pressure therein builds up beyond a certain predetermined point for which the valve 13 is set, that happening, for example, in case the pressure regulator 7 fails, for any reason, to function properly. The valve 12 will, of course, be set to open at a pressure appreciably higher than that at which the regulator 7 is arranged to break the circuit for the motor. The reason for this is thought to be self-evident. \Vater is supplied to a pipeleading to the service system from the storage tank 9 through a pipe 16, valve 13 and rubber hose connection 17.

This much description will suffice to give a the operation of the pump and motor from being transmitted to the service pipe and thence to the piping system. It is also of considerable advantage to use a hose connection-since it might otherwise be hard to make a a threaded connection, as, for example,-by

means of a union, due to slight misalignment of the service pipe. I shall now proceed to a description of the various novel features of construction and arrangement incorporated in the apparatus and call particular attention to the advantages in the matters of 14 thereon arranged to complete the face plate 19, the driven shaft 20 of the pair being extended through a bearing 21 on the other face plate 22. The two face plates 19 and 22 are bolted rigidly to a cast iron housing 23 in which the spiral pumping gears are disposed. The shaft 20 has a flexible coupling 24 for connection with the armature shaft 25 of the motor 6. The latter is boltedonto the base 8, as indicated at 26. The pump 5' has a supporting bracket 27 formed preferably integral with the face plate 22 and bolted to the base 8, as at 28. It is believed to be evident that the-coupling 24, aside from providing a direct connection between the pump 5 and motor 6, thereby avoiding use of a belt and the troubles going .with'that kindof operation, takes care of any slight misalignment of the pump with respect to the motor and makes for smooth and quiet operation.

The storage tank'9, it will now be observed is connected to the pump in close coupled relation therewith by means of a union 29. The union serves not only to connect the tank with the discharge side of the pump so that it is supplied with water therefrom in the operation of the pump, but actually constipensing with extra parts which would otherwise have to be provided for the purpose and which would mean additional cost not only for the material itself but extra labor cost in the assembling. The fact that the tank is disposed vertically relieves the union.

of any lateral strain, but in order that there will be no danger of the union being broken in the shipment of the pump unit by havin something come in contact with the tan and also in order. that the tank will at all times remain rigid with the pump on-the base, I have provided additional supporting or bracingmeans in the form of a sheet metal jacket 30. The latter is substantially circular in form and fits about the lower end of the tank and extends down from the tankto the base, thus enclosing the pump beneath thetank and giving the unit the neat, trim appearahce shown in Figure 1. The jacket has an-annular bead 31 formed therein near the upper end thereof arranged to fit under the bottom of the tank and provide more or less .of aseat for the tank on the jacket, especially when the tutes a support forthe tank, therebydis T- flanged free ends 32 of the sheet metal forming the acket are clamped together, as by means 0 bolts 33, to cause the jacket snugly to embrace the lower end of the tank. The lower end of the jacket is received in a circular groove 34 formed in the base. A hole/35 in the jacket has to be provided for the extension of the armature shaft therethrough for coupling with the pump and another hole 36 is provided in the jacket for extension therethrough of the pipe 37 connecting the combination stringer and check valve 11 with the suction side of the pump. A pipe 38 tapped into the pump casing in the suction side thereof directly below and between the pumping gears has a pneumatic valve mounted therein and a cap 39 normally closing the outer end thereof, the cap being accessible from the outside of the jacket by reason of the extension of the pi e 38 through a slot in the lower end of t e jacket. When more air is needed in the storage tank it is only necessary to remove the cap 39 to allow air to be drawn in with the water and forced into the tank. As soon as the proper amount of air has been taken in the cap is replaced and the otherwise fully automatic operation of the unit, as previously described, is resumed.

The mounting of the tank on the pump in close coupled relation therewith, aside from making for compactness of the unit as a. whole, has the advantage of enabling elimination of the check valve ordinarily pro vided in the discharge line between the pump and the storage tank, and the combination strainer and check valve 11 takes the place of a strainer and foot valve otherwise provided. Considering for a moment just the combination strainer and check valve 11, pump 5,'and storage tank 9, it will be evident that the tank 9 being disposed directly above the pump serves as an air chamber for the pump to take the shock in the discharge line going with the operation of the pump;

the water hammer action so common to many systems, especially where the tank is located at an appreciable distance away; from the pump, is avoided. A saving is realized furthermore, by using the pressure tank as an air chamber inasmuch as it was formerly necessary to provide a separate air chamber for the pump. The location of the tank directly above the pump produces still other savings by reason of the elimination of piping, elbows, etc., not to mention the fact that the check valve on the discharge line otherwise necessitated is dispensed with. The location of the tank directly above the pump also positively prevents air trapping since any air accumulating in the pump casing around the pumping gears has easy escape into the storage tank and, of course, tends naturally to rise from the pump into the tank. In water systems provided in the past,

depth below the pump, there was always more or less likelihood of the pump going dry. For example, a very-'sli ht leak in the suction, line would frequent y result in a drainage of the water from above the foot valve and the pump would not remain primed. In the present apparatus, the use of the combination strainer and check valve 11 right next to the ump and connected with a high point of lts casing avoids any possibility of the pump going dry. Briefly stated, then, my novel arrangement of the storage tank directly above the pump and using a check valve on the suction side of the pump has the advantages of eliminating a check valve. and separate air chamber in the discharge line, keeps the pump primed, prevents air trapping, and also eliminates water hammer action.

The jacket 30 affords sufficient space therein alongside the pump for the automatic pressure regulator 7 with its diaphragm casing 15, as should be evident from Figs. 2 and 3. The casing 14 has a pipe connection 40 with the bottom of the tank, the automatic pressure regulator being thereby suspended from the tank with the diaphgram therein maintained subjectto the pressure existing in the tank so that the regulator is arranged to make and break the circuit for the motor 6, as previously referred to. Wires 41, 42 and 43 are shown connecting the motor 6 and regulator 7 together in the line, the wires 41 and 43 being extended through the insulator bushing 44 mounted in the wall of the jacket 30 for connection with the line and wires 41' and 42 being shown extended through a conduit 45 beneath the base 8 over to a conduit 46 leading up 'to the motor. It is believed the foregoing description conveys a clear understanding of my invention and of its'various objects and advantages. The appended claims have been drawn with a view to affording a degreeof protection commensurate with these improvements.

Iclaim:

1. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, the combination in a self-contained unit, of a supporting base, a pump mounted thereon, a storage tank disposed verby engagement therewith circumferentially of the lower end thereof, and a motor mount ed on the base and having a driving connection with the pump.

'2. A unit as set forth in claim 1 including an automatic pressure regulator attached to the tank and disposed alongside the pump within the jacket. said regulator havlng an electrical connection with the motor for the ing electrical connections with the motor for a the purpose described. I

4. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, the combination in -a self-contained 'unit, of a supporting base, a pump mounted thereon, a storage tank approximately circular in horizontal section disposed vertically directly above and connected at the approximate center of its bottom with the pump in close coupled relation'therewith, the said connection serving to support the tank approximately centrally on the pump, a circular jacket fitting about the lower end of the tank and extending down to the base, thereby serving as an auxiliary support for the tank and enclosing thepump, said jacket being arranged to be contracted at its upper end to clamp the lower end of the tank there in, there being an upstanding annular shoulder on the base of approximately the same diameter as the tank and said jacket being.

arranged to be contracted at its lower end to clamp onto said shoulder, and amotor mounted on the base having a driving connection tank with the top discharge of the pump, said union serving to support the tank entirely on the pump, an automatic pressure regulator connected to and suspended from the bottom of the tank alongside the pump, said regulator having an electrical connection with themotor for controlling the operation thereof accordin to the pressure existing in the tank, an a sheet metal jacket fitting about the lower end of thetank and reaching down .to the base around the pump and regulator,

the free ends of the sheet metal forming the jacket being flanged outwardly and arranged to be bolted together whereby to clamp the jacket onto the tank and hold the same rigid with the base. a v

6. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, the combination in a self-contained unit, of a supporting base, a pump mounted thereon, a storage tank disposed vertically directly above and connected at itsb'ot-tom with the discharge side of the pump in close coupled relation therewith, the said connection serving to support the tank on the pump, an automatic pressure regulator communicating with the bottom of the tank and disposed directly therebeneath alongeside the pump, a jacket enclosing the pump and regulator and extending from the base up to the tank and serving to hold the tank rigid with the base, a motor mounted on the base outside the jacket and having a driving connection with the pump through an opening provided in the jacket, and electrical wire connectionsforthe regulator with the motor, extended from the regulator inside the jacket under the base to the motor.

7.'In a pumping apparatus of the character described, the combination of a suitable support, a pump supported thereon, a storage tank disposed vertically directly above the pump and permanently connected centrally vof its bottom with the pump in close coupled relation, the close coupled connection serv ing to support the tank on the pump, a hollow substantially cylindrical jacket of a height. to reach from the support up to the tank, and of a diameter to enclose the pum and fit on the lower end of the tank, the tan having detachable engagement with the upper end of the jacket so that the latter serves as an auxiliary support for the tank but may be removed, and a motor on said support having a driving connection with the pump.

, 8. In a pumping apparatus of the character described, the combination in a self- 10 1 thereof, and a motor having a driving connection with the pump.

In'wit-ness of the foregoing I aflix my signatum.

' STANLEY HOBSON. 

